NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

The Board of Trustees of Huquq'u'llah meets with the National Spiritual Assembly

On Saturday 16th October 1998 at 11am at 27 Rutland Gate a quiet but momentous meeting took place. The National Spiritual Assembly met with the Board of Trustees of Huquq'u'llah for the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The representatives of the Board were Mr Hadi Rahmani-Shirazi, Dr Ramin Khadem, Dr Wendi Momen, Mrs Carolyn Wade and Mrs Val McGinley.

This meeting was of crucial importance because both these institutions, along with the Learned Arm, are charged by the Universal House of Justice with promoting the Law of Huquq'u'llah. To assist in this process the Board had developed a proposal for consideration by the National Spiritual Assembly. The Trustee of Huquq'u'llah, Hand of the Cause of God Al?-Muhammad Varq , was pleased with the idea and felt it could be a model for other National Spiritual Assemblies to follow.

The proposal is this. The statistics indicate that in larger cities the friends have not fully understood the Law of Huquq'u'llah. With the rainbow (see the September 1998 issue of Baha'i Journal UK) the National Spiritual Assembly is, amongst other things, re-emphasising the Covenant. The Law of Huquq'u'llah is a crucial part of the Covenant and is akin to honouring the laws of prayer and fasting. We need to pilot an educational programme on the spiritual significance of the Law of Huquq'u'llah. The plan is to approach a small number of communities in London to act as pilots. The pilot programmes will be launched in 1999.

The National Spiritual Assembly welcomed the proposal and it was agreed that the training institutes should be involved, and especially, in this initial stage of piloting, the Training Institute for England. There would be direct communication between the Board of Trustees of Huquq'u'llah and the Baha'i Councils, the National Teaching Committee and the Community Schools Service.

This is yet another example of the way in which the institutions of the Faith are maturing at an accelerating rate. This is a process that we all can assist. The Board of Trustees of Huquq'u'llah needs people to whom it can turn for assistance. No one needs to be knowledgeable about the Law of Huquq'u'llah to be of use. For instance, computing, secretarial or training skills amongst many others could be invaluable. If you feel that there is anything you might be able to do to assist, please get in touch with the National Office on: 0171 584 2566 in office hours.

Appointment of Auxiliary Board members for Wales and South West of England

Dear Baha'i friends,

We are delighted to introduce two new Auxiliary Board members for Wales and South West of England.

Mrs Azar Melville has been appointed the Auxiliary Board member for Protection and Mr Habib Behi the Auxiliary Board member for Propagation. Please join us in praying that Baha'u'llah will bountifully bless and confirm these dear souls in their efforts to support the work of the community in the United Kingdom. Their appointments are effective immediately and will last until the Day of the Covenant, 26th November 2001.

The National Spiritual Assembly cannot over-emphasise the importance of collaboration with the Learned Arm to carry the Faith ever forward. We know that each collaborative effort will surely lend a fresh impetus and bring renewed progress to the fortunes of the Faith in your areas.

The loving and devoted services which Mr Viv Bartlett and Dr Gawayne Mahboubian-Jones have rendered to the Cause during their terms as Auxiliary Board members have been deeply appreciated by the Continental Board of Counsellors and by this National Spiritual Assembly. We express our heartfelt love to them both for their achievements in the communities they have served.

Loving Baha'i greetings, National Spiritual Assembly